A Software Industry Case Study

Aptaria helped high tech leader Deltek streamline its existing Salesforce.com Quote-to-Cash process through automation and a single point of data entry, boosting revenue, data security, and order-processing efficiency.

Challenge: Eliminating Data Re-Entry

Deltek is a leading provider of enterprise management software (EMS) developed specifically for project-focused businesses and government contractors. Deltek’s existing Quote-to-Cash process, based on the Salesforce.com platform, worked well initially. But as the company went public in 2007 and its growth increased, the mostly manual system proved inadequate.

Deltek’s teams had to re-enter the same order data 4 times into separate forms and applications. As different people re-keyed information, errors were introduced into orders, leading to:

• Lost orders and revenue
• Unhappy customers
• Wasted time and frustration for account reps and analysts
• Insufficient data security and SOX violations

Solution: Automation, Integration & Single-Point Data Entry

Aptaria re-engineered Deltek’s Quote-to-Cash process, creating a single point of data entry and automating critical steps. Reps enter data into the system only once—during the first step of the Quote-to-Cash process, called the Salesforce.com “Opportunity.” The rest of the process—previously riddled with bureaucratic steps—has been streamlined through the use of:

Automatic Form Generation

Using custom S-control logic, Aptaria integrated PrintAnything, a free AppExchange tool that automatically produces accurate quote or order forms based on customer and product information in Salesforce. Forms are generated as PDFs, saving sales reps time and preventing them from quoting inaccurate prices.

Order Tracking

By leveraging Salesforce.com’s workflow capabilities, Aptaria’s solution notifies distribution analysts of orders ready to be shipped, and alerts the finance team of “closed/won” opportunities ready to be recorded. This end-to-end tracking has eliminated lost orders and freed account reps from re-entering data in work order forms for other departments.

Automatic Asset Creation

Aptaria used an Apex Trigger to automatically create assets when orders reach the fulfillment stage—eliminating the need for data re-entry by distribution analysts.

Seamless Integration with Finance Systems

Aptaria leveraged CastIron System, a Salesforce.com partner, to automatically inject “closed/won” orders into Deltek’s 2 finance systems. This integration of cloud-based (Salesforce) and on-premise (finance) applications has greatly minimized time spent by the finance team re-entering data and inaccurate financial records.

Results: Less Time Entering Data, More Time Growing the Business

By automating the Quote-to-Cash process and reducing data entry from 4 steps to 1, Aptaria’s solution has had a major impact on Deltek’s business. Benefits include:

• Increased recognizable revenue
• More time for sales reps to sell
• More time for support reps to service customers
• Shorter order-processing time
• Improved accuracy of price quotes, order data, and financial records
• Greater data security and compliance with SOX rules
• Higher customer and employee satisfaction

Learn More

Contact us to learn more about our software industry experience and our expertise in Salesforce.com integration and customization.